Tuesday 16 June 2020

Wreck Of The Minotaur - A Little Roy One On One


Labels: Self-Released

Formats: CD/Digital

Release Date: 01 Jan 2009


Tracklist:


1. Big Money Stella

2. Bull Fight Starts

3. Hard Bodies Are Everywhere! Hand Me My Blade!

4. The Court Of Ted

5. My Sweet Annabella I'm Not Coming Home


When Myspace-era mathcore's resurgence is growing at a huge pace, getting contacted by one of the UK's long-since silent gems is a bit of a surprise. Considering London's Wreck Of The Minotaur released their only EP A Little Roy One On One just over eighteen months prior to this blog starting, it's even more so. A little bird tells me that with a new line-up forming and lockdown relaxing, Wreck Of the Minotaur will be making a comeback (tentatively), therefore a re-visit to said EP is much needed. 


I’ve been taking a little break over the last few days and have also returned to work after a fortnight of rest. Football begins again from tomorrow evening, so that may take my attention away from the blog briefly, though I’ll try and keep things regular (so to speak). Tonight though, my full attention is on Wreck Of The Minotaur’s 2009 EP A Little Roy One On One. Opening song ‘Big Money Stella” appears to be about a can of Stella Artois. The music is like the long-distance cousin of Psyopus and Intervals, while the vocals are a higher-pitched/grizzled take on Beecher. So far so sick. 


‘Bull Fight Starts’ picks up the mayhem where ‘Big Money Stella’ left it. It’s off-kilter time-signatures and pinch harmonics are testament to why mathcore/grind was and still is so popular amongst modern and younger metal/hardcore listeners. The sub-genre fits in with the social media generation that grew up with Myspace and while that generation has grown into adulthood, it’s taken the music with it.


Wreck Of The Minotaur is not a band that takes things slowly and it’s that urgency that comes to the front on ‘Hard Bodies Are Everywhere! Hand Me My Blade!’, with it’s sinister sample in the mid-section. It’s probably the fastest and most grinding song on the EP.’ The Court Of Ted’ is the only song that fails to make it past two-minutes, but that doesn’t really mean a thing when you consider the technicality and speed of the band. Time is immemorial while the music here is not. This music still holds up really well and deserves to be heard by new listeners.


Closing song ‘My Sweet Annabella I’m Not Coming Home’ is the opposite and could be considered prog-like when held up against the rest of the EP. Of course, it’s not a prog song but in technical, experimental music like this there’s always an element of that. Needles to say, it’s a great listen and it brings to an end an EP that’s fast but full of impact. If and when Wreck Of The Minotaur does come back, music as ferocious as this will be greatly welcomed. 


You can stream A Little Roy One On One and download it for free below:-


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